


catch me when I fall

by Zillabird



Series: catch me when I fall [1]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Blow Jobs, Cheerleaders, First Time, Football, Hand Jobs, Homophobic Language, Internalized Homophobia, Kissing, M/M, Semi-Public Sex, Sexist Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-31
Updated: 2016-05-31
Packaged: 2018-07-11 07:03:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7034881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zillabird/pseuds/Zillabird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's about a cheerleader and the quarterback. Boy meets boy. The rush of falling and the warmth of arms around you to stop your fall.</p><p>Jason and Dick fall in love amidst lockers and classrooms and football fields.</p>
            </blockquote>





	catch me when I fall

**Author's Note:**

> For the record, I usually hate high school AUs. I'm not a fan of reading them, this is the first one I've ever written, and I really warred with myself on whether or not I wanted to break that streak by writing this one. But the story demanded it be written, the characters writing their own stories before my eyes and I could not keep my hands off the keyboard. So while I may not be fond of the genre, usually, I am proud of my sole contribution to the tag. For those of you who do enjoy these stories, I finally understand a part of why you do. Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

“Cute outfit, Dickie. Too bad they wouldn’t let you go with a skirt, huh?”

Dick closed his locker and looked up at the jersey wearing jock standing by his locker. “I’m content without it though I’m sure I’d look dazzling in a short skirt anyways. Thanks for looking out for me.”

Jason followed him as he walked down the hallway, sidling up beside him and ignoring the way Dick rolled his eyes. “You’re awfully cocky.”

“It goes with my name,” Dick replied.

Jason snorted, lips curling up in amusement. “Are you gay?”

“What makes you think that?” Dick asked.

“Well, you don’t seem upset about wearing a skirt,” Jason said.

“That settles it then,” Dick replied.

“And you’re a cheerleader, which, you have to admit is a pretty good sign,” Jason pointed out.

Dick scoffed. “Is that so, Jason?”

“Of course. Everybody knows that male cheerleaders are always gay,” Jason said.

Dick shook his head, stopping at the door for calculus. “I spend fifteen hours a week getting up close and personal with an entire squad of hot cheerleaders and you spend fifteen hours a week rolling around on the ground with sweaty guys. Which one sounds gayer to you?”

He turned without giving Jason a chance to respond, not that the football player was capable of speech quite so soon. The bell rang and Dick caught sight of him running to his next class before turning to the board with a smirk on his face.

~~~

Run. Run. Run. Round-off. Push off the ground. Rebound. Arch your back. Keep your eyes forward. Push off the ground. Rebound. Pull your arms in. Rotate around your center of gravity. Remember girls’ gravity is at their hips but men rotate around their shoulders, my little robin.

Rebound. Step out.

“That’s impressive,” Jason said. Dick turned. He was here late, but then again so was Dick. Jason was digging in Dick’s messy stack of textbooks and papers. He cringed dramatically at the sight of Dick’s English paper. “That’s nasty.”

High D. It was actually an improvement on his last paper. “Thanks. I’m aware.”

“Aren’t you in, like, advanced calculus or something?” Jason asked.

“Or something,” Dick said.

“Then what’s this?” Jason asked, waving the paper with the big, bright red D on it.

Dick crossed his arms over his chest. “This may come as a shock for you, but English and Math are two different subjects. I’m just not very good at English.”

He passed but barely.

Jason flipped open the first page and began reading, a moment before he flipped over the next page and read that one as well.

“Can I help you?” Dick asked.

“Not in English,” Jason mocked. But Dick only had time to get a huff out before Jason quickly added, “But I might be able to help you.”

“By being a nuisance and mocking my English grades?” Dick asked.

Jason set the paper back down. “I’m honestly hurt that’s what you think of me, but no. I was thinking about tutoring you on Saturdays since neither of us have practice.”

Dick’s arms slid down slowly, resting at his sides. “What? Why?”

“Well, for starters, you’re really bad at it,” Jason said. “And also because I feel bad that we made fun of you for being a cheerleader.”

“You’re not championing your cause, Todd,” Dick said.

Jason put up his hand. “Consider it a peace offering.”

Dick considered and then walked over, picking up his paper and grimacing at the red marks covering the black and white essay. He sighed. “Fine.”

“Great,” Jason said. He scribbled down his number in blue ink on Dick’s essay. “Text me and I’ll send you my address. We’ll set up a time.”

“Jason?” Dick asked.

“Yeah,” Jason said, looking up.

Dick hesitated and then shook his head. “Nothing, I guess.”

“Right on,” Jason replied, pocketing his pen and saluting before walking out of the gym again.

Dick walked back over to the mat and let a small smile slip through his expression before taking off once more. Run. Run. Run. Round off.

~~~

“It’s nice to see you again, Mister Grayson,” Alfred greeted him at the door.

Dick shifted his books in his arms. “You too, Alfred.” The smell of something cooking floated out of the house and hit Dick in the face. His stomach grumbled embarrassingly and Dick felt his cheeks warm. “I, uh… I spent my lunch period in the weight room again.”

“Oh, man. Don’t sell me out like that. Alfred told me to make sure that you were eating your lunch,” Jason said, coming up behind Alfred and peering at Dick over the elderly man’s arm.

“Which you clearly failed to do,” Alfred said.

Dick made a face, confusion clear. “Jason was in the weight room too.”

Alfred turned to face the young man in question who stumbled over his words. “The lunch was nasty and I was… I mean… Shut the hell up, Dick. Come upstairs to my room.”

Alfred stepped aside, giving Dick the space to step inside. “We’ll speak more on this later, Master Jason.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jason grumbled. He waited until he was out of the butler’s line of sight before slugging Dick in the arm. “You idiot.”

“Ow,” Dick exclaimed and then twisted to punch Jason in the arm right back. “Don’t be an asshole.”

“Why are you so strong?” Jason said, covering his arm.

Dick grew smug. “Those girls I throw in the air aren’t exactly light.”

Jason leaned over, placing one hand on the wall and pinning Dick with the rest of his body. “Sell me out to Alfred again and I’m going to tell your little squad that you said they were fat.”

Dick gaped until Jason walked away. “That is _not_ what I said.”

“Have you ever met a girl, Dickie?” Jason asked. “That’s all they’re going to hear. Dick Grayson thinks they’re fat.”

Hours later Dick was seated at the table with a plate of Alfred’s lasagna in front of him.

“Jason tells me you’re an athlete,” Bruce said. Bruce _Wayne_ which made Jason, Jason _Wayne_ -Todd. Bruce Wayne was rich. Very rich. “Not the football team, of course. That’s always been my sport but I’m a fan of several sports. What is it? Soccer?”

Dick glanced at Jason whose food was frozen somewhere between his plate and his mouth.

“No,” Dick replied.

“Lacrosse? You don’t have the usual body type for wrestling,” Bruce said.

“No, actually I’m a cheerleader,” Dick said. Jason cringed before letting his eyes flick over to Bruce.

The man in question was silent, and then he nodded and continued eating. “Take good care to make a note of that on your college applications. I know the men on our college football team had better chances of getting in than their female counterparts. Are you a competition cheerleader?”

Blue eyes grew a little wider on Dick’s face. “Um, yeah.”

“Good, good,” Bruce said. “Very impressive.”

The conversation shifted to work and college but Dick felt warmth curl from the immediate acceptance.

Jason walked Dick out to his car and leaned against the driver’s door, effectively keeping Dick from climbing in and taking off. Dick stood there and then turned to meet teal blue eyes. “Your Dad seems cool.”

“He’s always cool around company,” Jason said. He ran a hand through his hair. “I was kind of surprised he was cool with the cheerleading thing though. He’s always been such a hard ass about me being on the football team.”

“Most guys like that think male cheerleaders are gay,” Dick said dryly and with a pointed glare at Jason.

The teen in question blushed, a cute look on his pale cheeks. “Everyone’s allowed to make mistakes, Dickie.”

“Hmm,” Dick said. He put his books on the top of the car, looked at the English paper – the newest one. A high C this time. A grade improvement and it had only been a month and a half since they’d started. “Thanks, Jason. For this and dinner. I appreciate it.”

“Yeah, well, feels good to be useful for something other than my ability to run a ball up and down the field,” Jason said.

“You’re smart,” Dick said.

“Third in the class,” Jason said.

“Very smart,” Dick corrected.

Jason smiled a little. “So are you.”

“If I told you something, Jason, do you think you could manage to keep it between you and me? And not you, me, and the entire football team?” Dick asked.

Jason hesitated and then nodded. “You’re secrets safe with me.”

They’d see about that.

“Sometimes,” Dick started. “Sometimes you’re a real asshole, you know that?”

Jason scowled. “That’s what I need to keep a secret?”

“No,” Dick said. “I mean, sometimes you say things and I have to prove you wrong just so you learn some humility.”

Jason sighed. “What are you getting at, Dick?”

“What I’m getting at, Jason, is that some male cheerleaders are gay and some are straight,” Dick said. “But I am bisexual, so you were partially right but for all the wrong reasons. And I feel justified in my decision to deceive you.” He took advantage of Jason’s surprise to push Jason off his car. “See you at school on Monday.”

~~~

“I’m bisexual too.”

This was happening all too often. Dick was standing next to his locker and suddenly there was a presence at his back, warmth breath that smelled like cigarettes and mint gum hitting his neck, and then Jason’s voice. Only this time Dick had on only a towel from showering after practice.

Dick turned. “You’re what?”

“I’m bisexual,” Jason said, repeating himself only after he’d double checked to make sure the locker room was empty. “I’m… I didn’t even know that was a thing. Not until the other night when you said the word in front of my house. That’s what I am. I’m bisexual.”

Dick’s expression softened. He’d been prepared to get up in arms, thinking Jason was mocking him but Dick recognized that light in Jason’s eyes. The realization that you weren’t a freak, the rush of elation when you realized there were other people out there.

“Congratulations,” Dick said softly.

Jason’s eyes went down Dick’s body, as if he’d just realized Dick was wet and half naked – dripping onto the tiled floor of the locker room. “Were you taking a shower?”

“No, I got caught in a rainstorm in the locker room,” Dick said sarcastically. “Yes, I took a shower.”

“You look…” Jason swallowed and his cheeks warmed again.

Oh. Dick’s eyes widened. He stepped forward, pressing his chest against the lean, built football player and felt the hard press of something groin level. “Is that your cup or are you just happy to see me?”

Jason’s eyes snapped up only long enough for him to roll them. “That was so fucking cheesy.”

“Language, Jason. You’re on school property,” Dick said.

Jason curled his fingers into the towel. “Shut up before I make you, Grayson.”

There was a look in his eyes, asking permission.

“Make me, Todd,” Dick said.

Lips crashed against his. Jason’s were chapped and there were imprints Dick could feel that made him think Jason bit his lips when no one was looking. A tongue pressed between his lips, eager and exploring, and the smell became stronger and then lingered on his tongue. The taste of cigarette ash and gum. Wintergreen. It was followed by a hand that moved from the towel at Dick’s waist to cup Dick’s cheek.

They parted to breathe.

“Have you ever slept with any of those pretty little cheerleaders, Dickie?” Jason asked.

“One or two,” Dick admitted. “What about you?” Jason was quiet. “Jay?”

Jason pulled on the towel and it fell down to pool around Dick’s ankles. “There hasn’t been a lot of time-“

“Jason, are you a-“ Dick was cut off when Jason covered his mouth again and their tongues tangled. Wet and hot and panting against each other. And then more air that Dick sacrificed to ask, “Jason, are you a virgin?”

Jason’s jaw clenched for a moment. “I’m not an innocent and I can still make you feel all quivery inside. I can still do things that would make your panties wet, Dixie.”

Dick pushed on Jason’s shoulder. “Don’t do that.”

“What?” Jason demanded.

“Get mean when you don’t like my questions. Don’t try to insult me by calling me a girl so you can feel like more of a man,” Dick said.

Jason arched an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with being a girl?”

“Nothing,” Dick snapped. “But I’m not one and we both know you’re just striking out. I don’t need homophobic bullshit from the closet football player. I’m not going to let you treat me like shit so you can have a gay panic.”

Anger flashed in Jason’s eyes only for him to turn his head and then nod. “I’m sorry.”

“Fine. But if you do it again, I’m not going to be as forgiving,” Dick said.

“I want to be here,” Jason said, sliding his hand down to Dick’s hip where he rubbed against the hip bone and then moved his hand to brush against Dick’s hardening length. “With you. A guy. I promise.”

Dick gasped at the touch, back hitting the edge of his open locker, not hard and it gave him something to lean back against. “ _Jason_.”

The brushes turned into a grip, still hesitant but firm. “Jesus. I didn’t expect…”

He trailed off and Dick found himself wanting to hear the rest. “Didn’t… didn’t expect what?”

Jason pressed a closed mouth kiss to his lips and then Dick’s cheek, moving down to his jaw. “Didn’t expect you to be so responsive.”

Dick laughed. “Is that it?”

“There’s no way that everyone is as responsive as you,” Jason said. He pumped Dick to full erection, hand using the leaking precum to slick up the hand job and speed up. His teeth caught on Dick’s neck over his pulse and bit down, pleased when Dick let out a little grunt. He licked over the spot and then, “You’re so damn vocal. Like a damn little bird.”

“A bird?” Dick asked, breathlessly.

“A bird,” Jason said. He pinned Dick harder against the locker, keeping Dick’s eager hip jerks from ruining the rhythm he’d set up. “Sing for me, pretty bird.”

Jason brushed his thumb over the tip and Dick cried out. “Jason, for the record? You’re doing… _shit_ , you’re doing amazing.”

“Not bad for a blushing virgin?” Jason asked, eyes locked on Dick’s hard leaking cock. Surprise, awe, like he was amazed he could make anyone feel that one.

Dick lifted his hands from their death grip on the edges of the locker and slid into Jason’s hair. “You haven’t seen anything yet, Jason.” He tugged on Jason’s hair to bring his ear closer to Dick’s lips, lowering his voice. “I’m going to show you things that are going to make you blush to your roots. And I don’t mean the ones on your head.”

The image alone, his imagination filling in the dirtiest things he knew in response to Dick’s wicked suggestions, had him groaning. “Are you going to come for me, pretty bird?”

“I will if you – ah, yes, just like that – keep this up,” Dick said. He could already feel that tightening in his stomach, right above his groin. “Come on, Jason, just a little bit harder.”

Jason’s hand tightened just the slightest, motions speeding up ever so slightly. Dick arched his back and felt his knees give out on him as his vision whited out and he splattered all over the bottom of Jason’s t-shirt. Only Jason’s quick reaction kept Dick from sliding to the floor, instead he was pulled against the man and melted like butter in his arms.

“How’d I do, pretty bird?” Jason whispered.

Dick didn’t immediately respond. He started moving before he spoke, grabbing Jason’s wrists to make the man let him go and he let gravity take him down to the ground. He landed on his knees with more grace than the action should have. “Let me show you.”

Zippers. Clothes. Dick was almost positive he didn’t rip anything in his eagerness. Then his lips were around Jason and there were hands in his hair. Jason was all about taste, the taste he could leave in Dick’s mouth. Ashes and wintergreen and salt.

He hollowed his cheeks, sucking and swallowing and bobbing his head up and down like he was starving for it.

“Feel so good, Dickie,” Jason said. The tugging softened to gentle petting in Dick’s hair. “You’re so….so….”

Jason must have heard the footsteps before Dick did because suddenly Dick was being pulled off Jason’s cock and shoved into the locker, the door slammed in his face. It was dark except for the three lines of light shining up at the top.

“Jason, is that you?” Dick recognized the voice of the football coach, even if for the life of him he couldn’t remember the man’s name.

“Yes, sir,” Jason said.

“Oh.” Jason must have been caught in a compromising position. “Relieving some tension?”

The humiliation in Jason’s tone was palpable. “Um, yes, sir. Sorry, sir.”

“No matter, son. Boys will be boys. Just might want to keep your fantasies confined to a more private place, eh?” A chuckle. “Hope whatever girl is making you all wound up ends up realizing what a prize our star quarterback would be. One of the cheerleaders?”

A long, long pause. “It’s one of the cheerleaders, yes.”

“Good on you, son,” he replied. “See you at practice tomorrow.”

“Right,” Jason said.

Footsteps retreating. The locker door opened and Jason was bright red. “We’re never mentioning that. Ever.”

Dick wiggled out of the locker. “You’re lucky I can even fit in there.”

“I’ve seen you do the splits, Dickie. I _knew_ you could fit in there,” Jason said. Dick felt the corners of his lips quirk up before he shook his head and started towards the exit. “Hey?”

Dick looked back to find Jason motioning towards his still hard cock between his legs. Dick arched an eyebrow. “Getting caught didn’t kill the mood?”

“Not for him,” Jason said, smirking. “Obviously.”

Dick’s tiny smile grew before he laughed and then walked back over to sink to his knees once more.

~~~

“So which one are you seeing?” Roy asked.

Jason nearly spilled his popcorn. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

Roy looked around at the cheerleading competition, the screaming cheer moms and the excessive amount of glitter. _Everywhere_.

“Yeah, Jason. What the fuck are we doing here?”

Jason ground his teeth together. “We’re here because I said we were coming as a team and I’m the captain so what I say goes.”

“So I go back to my original question,” Roy said. “Which was, which of the skirts are you sliding your hand under?”

“Shut the fuck up, Roy,” Jason snapped. He should just say no but it felt, wrong, to betray Dick like that. “The cheerleaders come to every game to cheer us on. Meanwhile, they go to competitions several times a year and don’t get an ounce of recognition for it. They did better last year than our team did. So we’re going to show up and cheer them on too.”

Most of the team went quiet at that, including Roy.

To be honest, Jason had never thought much of it until Dick came home with a gold medal and Jason realized he hadn’t even known the guy was going to a competition. Dick had explained and Jason had determined that the football team, as long as he was captain, would be making trips to every competition to support their cheerleading squad.

“So shut up and enjoy the show and be extra loud when our Gotham Knights perform, capiche? I hear anyone boo them, I even see someone not cheering? You’ll be running an extra ten laps every practice until the end of the season,” Jason snapped.

Silence.

“Must be some good pussy.”

“Ten laps. Hope you like running.”

The Knights were towards the end of the line-up. The performances were a lot more impressive than Jason had anticipated, and definitely more than the rest of the team had anticipated. It made Jason cringe for every time he’d thought the cheerleaders had it easy.

“And now, hailing from Gotham Academy – the Gotham City Knights!”

The squad ran out onto the mats, their black and blue uniforms matching the bows in the girls’ hair and the bright blue GK in paint on Dick’s cheek.

When Dick saw him he smiled and then quickly flashed a brighter one, like it was all part of the show. They got in formation.

It was… impressive. There weren’t really words for it. Amazing. Incredible. Jason was starting to see how Dick could eat his weight in Alfred’s nachos and still have muscles hard as rocks.

“Jesus, fuck,” Roy muttered. “Isn’t that kind of dangerous?”

He appeared to be referring to Dick single handedly mounting Donna, his hands wrapped around her foot and ankle while she held the other in a complicated position that reminded Jason of yoga. He looked up and Roy scoffed. “I’m starting to see the benefits of his decision to join the team. Looking up girls’ skirts? Sign me up for try outs too.”

Jason scowled. “Shut up, Roy.”

The Knights got a heavy round of applause and, while Jason might have been biased, he was fairly certain that their Knights had bested the competition. Easily. The team hooted and hollered like wild animals in the stands and the cheer squad pretended to be embarrassed but Jason could tell they were all pleased to see them there.

And Dick stood off to the side, watching Jason with a look that had his chest warming. He watched the cheerleader smile again and then mouth, thank you, to the stands.

They won the gold and Jason had never been so proud.

~~~

Dick found him under the bleachers, smoking a cigarette and reading out of a book Dick knew he’d borrowed from the school library. “I got an A.”

Jason looked up, pulling the cigarette out from between his lips and crushing it under his tennis shoe. “What?”

“I got an A,” Dick said excitedly, running over and wrapping his arms around Jason. “I got an A. On an English paper. I’ve never gotten an A on an English paper in my entire life, Jason. Thank you.”

The arms around him squeezed as Jason realized what Dick’s excitement was all about. “I’m proud of you, babe.”

Dick pulled back and squashed down the butterflies in his stomach. “Proud enough to celebrate?”

“Always,” Jason said. He grabbed the gum out of his pocket, popping one in his mouth. “After practice we’ll grab take out. Alfred will let you stay the night, you know… as long as you crash in the guest room.”

“Maybe we could go out to eat,” Dick said.

Jason’s smile faded a little. “Why?”

“Because I got an A on this paper,” Dick said. And then, a moment of honesty, “Because I’m tired of hiding, Jason.”

“Since when?” Jason asked.

“Since forever,” Dick said. “Aren’t you tired of pretending to be something you’re not? I want to be out and open and we could do it together.”

“No,” Jason said.

Dick should have expected this. “Why not?”

“Because I’m not ready,” Jason said. “The boys all think I’m dating Kori or Rose and if they find out I’m dating you-“

“They’ll know you’re bisexual?” Dick asked.

Jason ground his teeth. “They’ll think less of me.”

“Because dating a guy, that’s lesser, isn’t it? As long as they think you’re straight then you’re normal but if they knew your secret-“

“You’ve been lying this whole time too!” Jason yelled. He looked around, worried about someone who would see them. He lowered his voice. “You’ve never had a problem with this set up before.”

“Of course I have, Jason. But I knew this is how you’d react,” Dick said.

Jason ran a hand through his hair. “I can’t do this, Dick. Bruce would… I don’t know if he’d be okay with this. Alfred. The coach? The _team_? My friends would never understand this and I-“

“Have your priorities. Clearly,” Dick said. The paper crunched in his hand, crumpling in his fingers. “Think very carefully, Jason. Because I’m not going to be your goddamn dirty little secret. I don’t want to hide this in locker rooms and under the bleachers and in the fucking janitor’s closet anymore. I want to go to homecoming with you. I want to kiss and not feel like you’re ready to run.”

For a moment, Dick actually thought he’d reached something in Jason.

“I can’t do it,” he whispered.

Dick closed his eyes. “Then neither can I.” He turned and walked away, not looking back. He didn’t see Jason throw the book across the gravel or see him reach into his pocket and pull out another cigarette to make his hands stop shaking.

~~~

Dick used to look forward to the Homecoming Game. Best night of the year. Biggest crowd, rowdiest fans. People stood up and cheered with them. His senior year, Dick had really had high hopes for this one.

Instead Dick could barely manage the smile he painted on for performances.

“What’s wrong?” Donna asked.

Dick glanced at her and then shook his head. “Nothing.”

“We’re winning,” Donna pointed out. “You usually pick up moods when we’re winning.”

“Just not in it tonight, I guess,” Dick said.

Donna sighed. “You can tell me, you know.”

Touchdown. The squad ran through the cheer and Dick ended with a toe touch.

“Jason and I broke up,” Dick said.

Donna’s expression fell. “Oh, honey.”

“I wanted to get out with it, we’re almost adults god damn it, and he won’t do it. _Can’t_ do it. I can’t live like that anymore,” Dick said. “So I told him it was now or never.”

Donna was silent.

“He chose never,” Dick said.

“I’m sorry,” Donna said.

Dick pulled his shoulders back. “Don’t be. I shouldn’t be surprised. Falling for the closeted football player? What’s more cliché than that?”

~~~

The games almost over. One more touchdown. One more touchdown. It’s a mantra in Jason’s head that should be front in center but it’s not and it’s killing his game.

“Get your head out of your ass,” Roy said. “Or wherever it’s at.”

“I’m distracted,” Jason defended.

Roy scoffed. “Then stop being distracted. We need you on this field in every way, shape, and form or we are going to lose.”

Jason sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. “I’m trying.”

“Try harder.”

Jason was silent. “Roy, what would you say if I told you I liked guys?”

“Like, that you’re gay?” Roy asked.

Jason sighed. “No, I like girls too.”

“You like girls and guys?” Roy asked.

“Yeah,” Jason replied.

Roy was quiet for a moment. “I suppose I don’t really give a shit. Can you still play ball?”

“I’ve been playing football this whole time so I think so,” Jason said dryly.

“Then whatever. I don’t care,” Roy said. “Can you play football now?”

“Don’t be an asshole,” Jason snapped.

Roy sighed and sat back down. “This is really bothering you?”

“It’s bothering me,” Jason confirmed.

Roy pulled his helmet off. “Coach, call a time out.”

“What are you going on about, Harper?” Coach asked.

“Trust me. I’m going to fix Jaybird’s head,” Roy said.

Jason sneered. “I don’t need fixing.”

“You’re damn right, you don’t need fixing. You need to learn to accept your goddamn self. You think I care what you stick your dick in? Or, hell, what sticks a dick in you? I am your goddamn best friend. I have seen you naked. I have seen you drunk off your ass and vomiting up in your butler’s petunias. I have seen you crying over movies where dogs die-“

“Marley and Me is a _sad movie_ , Roy,” Jason interrupted.

“Shut up,” Roy said. “If I can see all that bullshit nonsense and still be your best friend, then I think your sexuality – which has nothing to do with me – will be easy to swallow.” He paused and then chuckled. “Swallow.”

“Point, Roy?” Jason prompted, rolling his eyes at the double entendre.

“Right. Point. The point is? I don’t care. I care that you’re happy and anyone who really cares about you will only care about your happiness too. Anyone else isn’t worth your fucking time,” Roy said.

“You ready?” Coach demanded.

Roy turned from the man to Jason and waited.

Jason felt something settle in his gut and he glanced back at Dick closer to the stands. The man looked sad. Like someone had sucked the life right out of him.

It hurt to know that Jason was the person who had done that too him.

“Yeah, I’m ready now,” Jason said.

Roy groaned in relief. “Fucking finally. Go win us the game, Jason.”

Ten seconds on the clock and Jason was being lifted in the air while his teammates cheered his name and the crowd went wild. He grinned ear to ear, caught Bruce clapping madly up in the stands.

It felt good. It felt perfect.

“Put me down,” Jason ordered.

“Take the goddamn moment, Todd!”

“Put. Me. Down,” Jason repeated.

His feet hit the ground and he stood for a moment and then pushed past his team members, out of the throng of people, past the cheering stands, and the refs on the side trying to politely congratulate him.

Dick wasn’t facing him, was busy talking to his squad, and didn’t see Jason grab his wrist and spin him around. There was a moment of surprise, bright baby blue eyes that Jason couldn’t seem to get out of his mind, and then Jason was picking him up and wrapping the cheerleader’s legs around him and pressing his lips against soft ones. Dick tasted likes sugar and honey and the sweetest things in the world because he was the sweetest thing in the world.

“You’re more important,” Jason said, mumbling the words against his lips. “You’re more important, Dickie. You’re more important than all of it.”

“Jason, I love you,” Dick said.

“I love you too, pretty bird,” Jason said.


End file.
